


Too close for comfort (but maybe not close enough)

by akirerae



Category: Free!
Genre: Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, crowded subway car, though my writing doesn't convey that part well enough
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 06:48:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3968461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akirerae/pseuds/akirerae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto is stuck in a crowded subway car with Haru and has a mini meltdown. (Several of them actually.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too close for comfort (but maybe not close enough)

This is the worst.

 

The absolute worst.

 

It's not like Makoto is a stranger to using the subway though. He just forgot how crowded it can be, especially when it seems like everyone in Tokyo has decided to cram themselves into a car all at once, and oh so conveniently, all at the same time. It's not like he's claustrophobic either. He can handle cramped and small spaces.

 

No. The real problem is that life has decided to play one of its cruel jokes and cram Makoto into one end of a subway car with his childhood friend (who he may or may not have more than platonic feelings for) pressed up against him. Given the limited wiggle room, Makoto is just hoping and praying that said childhood friend would not mistake his rapidly beating heart for anything other than simple nervousness.

 

He's abruptly interrupted from his fervent wishing when a stranger presses him further into Haru- a feat he would have thought impossible only a few seconds ago- and he can't help but stiffen a bit when he catches a whiff of Haru's hair. He swallows the nervous lump that got caught in his throat before trying to exhale slowly. Normally.

 

Makoto manages a shuddering breath.

 

With his cheeks burning, he moves his head as far away from Haru's as he possibly can and tries to calm himself down, but finds that his thoughts drifted in the opposite direction.

 

...Huh. Haru must have changed the brand of shampoo that he usually uses. Makoto blinks with a start as a blush quickly swamps his cheeks. Okay. Best friend or not, knowledge of information like that was far too... weird.

 

And he really isn't helping himself calm down at all.

 

"Makoto?"

 

Almost instinctively, Makoto jerks his head to the sound of Haru's voice, only to regret his decision immediately after because, well, now their faces are way too close. He manages a sheepish smile and hopes that the blush staining his cheeks can readily be explained by the heat caused by too many human bodies in a space that is, logistically, too small to fit them all. Not because, well- 

 

Has Haru's eyes always been this blue?

 

"Ah-" Makoto forces himself to breath and stop staring at Haru with whatever expression his face made without his conscious approval. To maintain whatever sense of normality is left between them because Makoto is positive that, just now, Haru saw through years of concealing smiles and denial.

 

His eyes dart around nervously, never quite looking Haru directly in the face, and despite of his efforts, his reply comes out stuttering and a little more breathless that he would have liked. "Y-Yes, Haru?"

 

Makoto chooses then to risk a proper peek and has to take a double take because there is a pale, rosy tint in Haru's cheeks that he swears wasn't there before. But before Makoto's brain allows his imagination to start spinning gears he left unoiled for a reason, the train makes a sudden sharp turn and Makoto suddenly finds himself falling.

 

However, his cry is quickly cut short by an arm around his waist, saving him from completely crashing into someone. He feels a surge of gratitude toward the firm grip around him for the three seconds it takes him to realize that the limb belongs to Haru. For probably the third time in the past seven minutes, Makoto's face flares up in a furious blush. He tries to squirm out of Haru's hold because no- This can't be happening to him. Not now, not here of all places, and especially not like this.

 

With his heart beating quick enough to be deemed life threatening, he stammers, "Ah, th-thanks. Haru. And, sor-"

 

Makoto's mouth snaps shut the second he feels Haru's grip tighten and pull him closer. The raven then rests his forehead on Makoto's collarbone, mumbling just loud enough for Makoto to hear and effectively shutting down any possible protest he may have had.

 

"It's okay."

 

Right then and there, Makoto is sure that his brain has short-circuited.

 

"Eh?" 

 

Haru makes an adorable little embarrassed sound and in the same tiny voice, repeats with obvious difficulty:

 

"It...okay."

 

Makoto eyes widen as he stares blankly at the space in front of him and thinks with vehemence that this is a dream- that this must be a dream because that is the only explanation Makoto has for this scene to be even happening to begin with.

 

He must have been silent for too long because Haru peers out from his hiding place, his face displaying various emotions that Makoto has never even seen before, let alone with such intensity and for a moment, Makoto forgets where he is. Forgets that he's in a subway car with probably one hundred other people. Forgets that people can see.

 

All that he's aware of right now are the wide blue eyes that look as nervous as the time when they exchanged apologies after their first fight and the hummingbird heart hammering against him.

 

He doesn't know who leans in first.

 

He doesn't know how Haru's arms end up around his neck or how his own hands end up on Haru's hips.

 

At the moment, the only thing Makoto's aware of- the only thing he's clinging onto- are the wind chapped lips pressed firmly and fearlessly against his own.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to all who kudo'd, and commented, and heck, even bothered reading this.


End file.
